This invention relates to a system for controlling an object interacting with a user and environment, and particularly to that for controlling an object capable of expressing pseudo-emotions in response to the user or environment by using algorithms, thereby creating behavior highly responsive to the states of the user or environment.
Heretofore, various controlling methods have been available for controlling an object in accordance with a user""s demand.
In such controlling methods, normally, the user sets a target value at output which the user wants, and the object is controlled in such a way that the output matches the target value, while feeding the output back to a control system which compares the feedback and the target value to adjust the output. In the above, by feeding the output back to the system to adjust the output, the output of the object to be controlled can approach the target value, thereby achieving control satisfying the user""s preference.
The aforesaid target value is set at a value basically satisfying the request by the user who uses the object. In practice, methods of setting a target value include a method of setting an appropriate target value by the user at every time the user uses the object, e.g., setting a temperature of an air conditioner, and a method of setting an appropriate target value by a manufacturer to satisfy a wide range of users when the object is manufactured, e.g., setting parameters of an engine for a vehicle when manufactured.
However, in conventional methods, because a principle goal is to obtain output in accordance with a target value, when the user inputs a target value directly into an object, if an incorrect target value is mistakenly inputted, for example, the object is controlled based on the incorrect target value. Satisfactory results cannot be obtained. In the above, no matter how accurately the air conditioner controls the temperature, i.e., outputs the set target value, the user often must reset the target temperature as the user notices the temperature is not the one the user really wants after the user feels the output temperature controlled by the air conditioner. This is because it is difficult for the user to precisely and numerically find the right temperature, and to input the temperature value into the air conditioner.
Further, when the target value is set in advance by a manufacturer, for example, because the user who uses the object has different characteristics from other users, it is impossible to set in advance a universal target which satisfies all users.
As descried above, in the conventional methods, because the principle goal is to obtain output in accordance with a target value which is set directly by the user or set in advance by the manufacturer, the output is likely to be stable and predictable. However, the output may not be the one the user wants, and may not reflect the user""s intent or emotions which are not directly expressed or inputted.
In addition, in the conventional methods, because the principle goal is to obtain output in accordance with a target value, naturally, the output is likely to be predictable. Thus, if such a control system is applied to a toy, for example, behavior of the toy is inevitably restricted to predictable mechanical movement. As a result, the user loses interest in or gets tired of playing with the toy.
An objective of the present invention is to solve the above problems associated with conventional control systems, and to provide a control system which allows outputting an adequate value ultimately giving the user more satisfaction than does a value obtained from the user""s direct order, particularly using pseudo-emotions caused in the object in response to the user and environment.
One important aspect of the present invention attaining the above objective is to provide a control method for controlling operation of an object used by a user in an environment, said object capable of receiving signals of variable conditions which represent at least a state of the user and which are associated with operation of the object, said object capable of being programmed to behave in response to the received signals, said method comprising the steps of: defining pseudo-emotions of the object, which are elements for deciding output of the object, in relation to the signals; formulating emotion generation algorithms to establish the relationship between the signals and the pseudo-emotions; formulating behavior decision algorithms to establish the relationship between input, including the pseudo-emotions, and the behavior of the object; detecting signals of variable conditions and inputting the signals into the object; generating a pseudo-emotion of the object based on the signals using the emotion generation algorithms; making the object behave based on the signals and the pseudo-emotion using the behavior decision algorithms; evaluating reaction of the user in response to the behavior of the object; and if the reaction of the user does not match the pseudo-emotion of the object in the emotion generation algorithms, adjusting at least either of the emotion generation algorithms or the behavior decision algorithms, followed by learning the adjustment.
According to the present invention, the object is always allowed to regulate to a certain degree its behavior based on its own pseudo-emotions. The object is formed in such a way as to adjust the emotion generation algorithms and the behavior decision algorithms and to learn them based on the reaction by the user in response to the object""s own behavior, and thus, the recognition efficiency of recognizing the user""s intentions and/or emotions increases. Further, the object can detect the user""s state in visual, tactile, or auditory manner as do humans, and can act upon generation of pseudo-emotions based thereon. Thus, natural communication between humans and objects can be performed, i.e., more human like communication can be established.
In the above, preferably, the control method further comprises the steps of: recognizing an intention/emotional expression of the user based on the signals of variable conditions, and using the intention/emotional expression of the user as the signals for formulating the emotion generation algorithms and for generating the pseudo-emotion of the object. The intention/emotional expression of the user can also be used as the input for formulating the behavior decision algorithms and for deciding the behavior of the object. In the above, preferably, the control method further comprises the steps of deducing preference/habit of the user from the recognized intention/emotional expression of the user, learning the deduced result, and using the learned deduced result for recognizing the intention/emotional expression of the user.